Mass. school districts cancel classes through Friday amid power outages, snow cleanup

Several school districts across Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts have canceled classes through the end of the week as blizzard cleanup continues and power outages persist in some parts of the state.

“Most of our buildings continue to not have power and we are unsure of the timing of restoration,” Barnstable Public Schools Superintendent Sara Ahern explained. “Additionally, once power is restored, our team will need time to run a series of tests to make sure that our systems are functioning properly — including and especially our phone lines.”

Ahern said school officials are also cognizant of tricky road conditions throughout the region and “are concerned about students being transported safely to and from school.”

Falmouth, Mashpee, Plymouth, Fall River, and Taunton schools will also remain closed through Friday. Massachusetts public schools are coming off February break last week.

Falmouth Public Schools noted four of its seven buildings were still without power as of Wednesday afternoon, with roughly half of its bus routes impacted by impassable roads and downed trees. Mashpee Public Schools cited similar mobility concerns and said many of its families and staff members don’t have power, either. 

“Trying to rush a return to school simply to resume our routine is not in the best interest of our students, staff, or families. Safety and well-being must come first,” Mashpee schools said. “We know this storm has taken a toll on everyone — physically, emotionally, and logistically. Please use this time to focus on recovery, warmth, and supporting one another.”

Plymouth Public Schools Superintendent Chris Campbell called Monday’s blizzard “one of the most significant winter storms in decades.” In addition to snow removal, street accessibility, and infrastructure concerns, Campbell pointed out that Plymouth North High School is currently serving as a Red Cross emergency shelter for dozens of displaced families and individuals. 

“While some members of our community may not be experiencing these challenges directly, there are still many families and staff facing very difficult (and in some cases dire) conditions,” Campbell wrote. “Our responsibility is to make decisions that reflect the broader reality across our entire town.”

Several more school districts have said they will remain closed Thursday, with Friday’s plans still up in the air. They include Bourne Public Schools, Old Rochester School District, Monomoy Regional School District, Provincetown IB Schools, Wareham Public Schools, New Bedford Public Schools, Acushnet Public Schools, Pembroke Public Schools, and Silver Lake Regional School District. 

Carver Public Schools said it intends to bring students back to school Friday using modified bus routes, while Nauset Regional Public Schools said the current plan is to hold school Friday if power is restored and local towns are fully operational. 

According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, more than 136,500 were still without power statewide Wednesday afternoon, most of them clustered around Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts.

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.